Book of the Week: ‘Deck the Hounds’

Lawyer Andy Carpenter sees a homeless man on a street in winter in Paterson, N.J., Andy’s hometown. The homeless man has an adorable dog with him and they are huddled together in front of a pawn shop in the cold. Andy gives him some money and a gift card for a pet store. When his wife finds out about it, she tells Andy that they need to let the man stay in a vacant apartment of theirs, “because it’s Christmas.” When the homeless man, Don Carrigan, is arrested for murder, Andy reluctantly agrees to represent him.

This is an interesting legal mystery and there are lots of twists and turns as Andy and his team investigate the case. Who really killed the wealthy businessman? Was Don framed for the murder? It’s also heart-warming – Andy and his family are trying to help Don and his dog, Zoey. The cover has a cute photo of sleeping puppies decked out with Santa hats. But this mystery isn’t all cozy. It has suspense and more murders along the way, along with a good amount of humor and charm. And it has an exciting ending, too!